Inuit women want to bring birth closer to home

Inuit women say they want to give birth in their communities with the help of Inuit midwives.

That's one of the conclusions of a two-day workshop in Iqaluit, organised by the National Aboriginal Health Organisation (NAHO).

The workshop brought together women from Nunavut, the Inuvialuit region, Nunavik and Labrador to look at ways to improve maternity care.

Many Arctic mothers are forced to leave their communities to give birth in larger centres.

They say that's difficult for them and their spouses.

Twenthy-three-year-old Mathilda Dicker lives in Nain, Labrador, but gave birth to her first baby in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Dicker says she was lonely and nervous, but her partner couldn't afford a plane ticket to be with her.

"When I was in labor he was on the phone so that helped me out a little bit. But, that wasn't enough," says Dicker.

Until recently, women didn't leave home to have a child. Babies were delivered by traditional Inuit midwives.

Women here would like to return to that practice.

Carolyn Anawak, who represented the aboriginal health organization at the Iqaluit gathering, said the Southern way of delivering babies doesn't always correspond with traditional Inuit practices.

"The clash is immediate upon finding that one is pregnant and that there isn't the same availability, emphasis or recognition on traditional knowledge," says Anawak.

"There isn't an easy avenue for many people who may not live in their own home community anymore because of employment or training reasons. They can't go and access granny or mom or auntie."

While there are some communities, such as Puvirnituq, that still have midwives, some women say there should be new schools or birthing centres in the North where traditional Inuit midwives can teach younger people how to deliver babies closer to home.